Google Ads bans Rummy and Fantasy sports promotions in India from January 21

On January 21, 2026, Google Ads will update the India country-specific section of its Gambling and Games policy to ensure compliance with local legal requirements, the company said in a policy notice.

Under the revised policy, all Rummy and Daily Fantasy Sports promotions targeting India will be disallowed, marking one of the most significant advertising restrictions imposed by the platform on the Indian online gaming ecosystem in recent years. This move comes after the passing of PROGA (Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025).

The move is expected to directly impact fantasy sports operators, real-money gaming companies, affiliate marketers, and digital advertising agencies that depend on Google’s ad network for user acquisition and brand visibility.

Regulatory framework behind the decision

Google said its gambling advertising framework is built around strict compliance with local gambling laws and industry standards, with the platform only allowing gambling-related promotions in approved countries and under specific conditions.

According to Google’s policy, all gambling and gambling-promoting ads must:

Only target approved countries

Display responsible gambling information on the landing page

Never target minors

The company defines gambling as staking something of value on outcomes determined partly by chance with the opportunity to win something of value, aligning both with local legal definitions and functional characteristics of gambling activities.

What qualifies as gambling-promoting content

Under Google’s advertising rules, gambling-promoting content includes:

Content that directly promotes engagement in gambling activities

Content that requires authorization under local law

This extends to online gambling services such as:

Online casinos and bookmakers

Online bingo, slots, lottery and scratch cards

Online sports betting

Gambling games using virtual currencies or items with real-world value

Google allows such promotions only in specific countries where certification and licensing conditions are met. Any gambling format not explicitly permitted for a country is automatically ineligible for advertising.

With the January 21 update, Rummy and Daily Fantasy Sports will no longer fall within permitted categories for India, effectively removing them from Google’s advertising ecosystem in the country.

Certification, enforcement and penalties

Google requires advertisers in gambling categories to maintain valid licenses and certifications at all times. Any lapse in authorization must be reported immediately. The company warns that running gambling ads without certification may result in ad accounts being suspended until compliance is restored.

The policy also restricts gambling-promoting content to limited formats such as aggregator and affiliate comparison sites, provided they do not operate gambling services themselves and only promote legally compliant products.